The field of this invention is to provide means for permitting a worker to safely work on a ladder above the ground, regard being given to the possibility of mishaps that can and do occur when such work is being performed. For example, the worker may be up on a ladder resting against a building, and the worker accidentally will come into contact with a source of electrical voltage sufficiently high so as to cause instantaneous involuntary action, the worker rearing out away from the ladder and building and falling to the ground below, usually incurring serious injury or immediate death.
While there are some prior art attempts or approaches for addressing the above-described problem, none of them are known to be fully satisfactory.
The present invention provides an economical, effective and practical solution to the above-stated problem. The present invention is a system for providing a safety enclosure for a human worker positioned up and standing on the rungs of a ladder, the ladder having first and second longitudinally extending legs spaced transversely apart in parallel relationship by a plurality of longitudinally spaced apart transversely extending rungs. The ladder is positioned with the top end portion thereof bearing against a building (usually the wall of the building) and with the bottom end portion thereof resting on the ground. The safety enclosure system broadly comprises a bracket means connectable to first and second preselected rungs of the ladder; in the preferred embodiment of the invention, the first and second preselected rungs are adjacent to one another. The safety enclosure means further includes a continuous open hoop-like member having a preselected opening sized so as to freely encompass the mid-section of a human worker, i.e., large enough effective diameter to enable the worker to do the intended work. The hoop-like member is connected to the bracket means adjacent to the first preselected rung, and the hoop-like member further comprises a pair of side portions extending substantially normal to the bracket, and further includes a back portion connecting the outboard ends of the side portions, i.e., the ends furthest from the ladder and bracket means.
The bracket means, in the preferred embodiment, has an elongated longitudinally extending portion preselected in length to span at least two adjacent rungs of the ladder; the bracket central portion has side portions extending normal thereto. The hoop-like member is connected to the respective side portions of the bracket means adjacent to the first preselected rung.
The bracket means further comprises at a first longitudinal end thereof a U-shaped hook-like elongated portion sized to hook over and longitudinally engage said first preselected rung, thus longitudinally supporting the bracket. The bracket means includes at a second longitudinal end thereof a U-shaped portion sized to snugly and normally encompass the second preselected rung. Furthers the aforesaid U-shaped portion sized to snugly encompass the second preselected rung includes means for locking or securing the bracket means to the second preselected rung, and thus locking the entire safety enclosure means to the ladder.
An auxiliary hoop means is provided in the preferred embodiment and is connected between the outboard ends of the sides of the main hoop and the bracket adjacent the second preselected rung.
The preferred embodiment further includes the above-described system in combination with a ladder supported at the bottom portion thereof with a pair of safety brace means, such as is shown in the Applicant""s U.S. Pat. No. 6,065,566 entitled xe2x80x9cLADDER SAFETY BRACExe2x80x9d. Each of the safety brace means comprises an elongated brace connected at a first end thereof to one of the legs of the ladder, and having its other end resting on the ground support means at a greater distance away from the building than said bottom end portion of the ladder.
The preferred embodiment also includes stabilizing means for reducing or preventing rotation of the safety hoop, as mounted on the ladder as aforesaid, about the ladder""s longitudinal axis as might be permitted by the torsion coefficient of the longitudinal legs of the ladder; the preferred rotation-reducing or prevention means comprising a pair of adjustable legs attached respectively to the sides of the hoop, the legs being adjustable along the normal axis to engage the wall of the building.